mtl008 Chapter 69 The Wife-Killing, Childless Emperor and His Beloved Concubine 4
Chapter 69 The Wife-Killing, Childless Emperor and His Beloved Concubine 4
Anning Palace
The Empress Dowager anxiously peered towards the palace entrance, and even paced back and forth inside the palace.
Jinxiu, fearing that she might be tired, spoke up again to persuade her, "Empress Dowager, Consort Chu will be here in a while. Please don't rush, sit down and wait."
The Empress Dowager glanced outside the hall again, and seeing no one, sighed and sat back down in her chair.
The tea had been changed twice, and the Empress Dowager was getting impatient: "Why hasn't Consort Chu arrived yet?"
Jinxiu dared not say that the Empress Dowager had gotten up too early, as it was still early.
"Your Majesty, it is still early. You are in too much of a hurry."
"How can I not be anxious? Chen'er is already over thirty. Other people his age are already having grandchildren, but Chen'er doesn't even have a son..."
The Empress Dowager felt heartbroken just thinking about it; her Chen'er was truly unfortunate and pitiful.
Jinxiu was speechless for a moment, because the Empress Dowager was telling the truth.
After much anticipation and longing, an announcement finally came from outside: "Consort Chu has come to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager..."
"Quickly, let Consort Chu in..." The Empress Dowager's eyes shone with excitement.
Jinxiu smiled helplessly: "Empress Dowager, please don't get agitated, don't frighten Consort Chu..."
The Empress Dowager thought about it and agreed. She quickly composed herself and sat upright at the head of the table, waiting for Consort Chu to enter.
Dressed in a flowing, light blue palace gown, Chu Yue entered the hall with graceful steps, curtsied, and spoke in a soft, melodious voice: "This concubine, Chu Zhaoyi of Yuyao Palace, greets the Empress Dowager..."
"Get up, get up, come here, let me see you..."
The Empress Dowager couldn't wait to personally check whether Consort Chu was completely unharmed.
Chu Yue took small steps to the Empress Dowager: "Empress Dowager..."
The Empress Dowager looked her over from head to toe, muttering to herself, "Good, good, good, Consort Chu is a good one..."
With her looks and figure, it's no wonder the fortune teller said she has a strong destiny.
That will definitely dispel the rumors about Chen'er.
If Chu Yue knew what the Empress Dowager was thinking, she would definitely roll her eyes. It seems she was just being used as a tool.
"Empress Dowager..." Chu Yue lowered her head shyly.
The Empress Dowager's cloudy eyes lit up, and she held Chu Yue's hand tightly, saying, "Sit down, sit down quickly, sit next to me and talk to me."
Chu Yue sat down as instructed.
The Empress Dowager was increasingly pleased to see that after Chen'er interacted with Consort Chu, Consort Chu was doing well.
There is hope for the future of the dynasty.
"Consort Chu, how has Chen'er treated you?" That silly boy may be old, but he has never been with a woman.
I don't know if it will happen...
Chu Yue's cheeks flushed even more, and she whispered, "Your Majesty... treats me very well..."
So far, the emperor hasn't done anything to her.
"Very well, I have some tonics here. I'll take them back later to nourish my body. Perhaps my little imperial grandson is coming soon."
The Empress Dowager is probably a bit obsessed; she's already thinking far ahead.
Chu Yue paused, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
"It's hot, we have to be careful..." The Empress Dowager kept muttering, as if she could already see the scene of holding her grandson.
"Empress Dowager... His Majesty..." Chu Yue didn't know how to start. If the Empress Dowager continued to misunderstand, wouldn't she be the one to suffer?
"What's wrong? Does Consort Chu have anything she wants?"
The Empress Dowager thought that if Consort Chu had any requests, she would grant them all.
Chu Yue bit her lip: "Empress Dowager, His Majesty... did not favor me last night..."
"What did you say?" The Empress Dowager couldn't believe what she was hearing; her newly glimmer of hope had vanished once more.
Just then, Aunt Jinxiu returned. She had just gone to Yuyao Palace to check the white handkerchiefs in the bedroom.
She shook her head at the Empress Dowager, whose expression turned sour.
Chu Yue quickly knelt down: "This concubine is guilty, Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
She knew that in the Empress Dowager's eyes, these things meant she was useless, that she hadn't served the Emperor well, and that she couldn't keep him around.
The Empress Dowager's energy vanished instantly, while Consort Chu is still perfectly fine. Is it because Chen'er didn't touch her?
So even though nothing's wrong, it's because Chen'er didn't touch it. If he had, I don't know if he would still be alright now.
The Empress Dowager looked at Chu Yue, and no matter how you looked at her, she was exactly the kind of woman men liked.
She had long, smooth hair, misty peach blossom eyes, and full, rosy lips.
Her slender waist was so thin it could be encircled by one hand, and her exposed skin was as smooth as jade.
Chen'er doesn't like it?
Or was it that Consort Chu was afraid of rumors and refused to serve the emperor?
"Consort Chu...why didn't the Emperor touch you?" The Empress Dowager's attitude was completely different from before.
She couldn't bear the disappointment that followed her expectations.
"Is it because you don't want to?"
Chu Yue hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, I have no intention of being unwilling. It is my honor to serve His Majesty, but..."
"Your Majesty...he..."
She could say whatever she wanted, but the emperor remained unmoved, even though she had already offered herself to him.
"Useless." The Empress Dowager was somewhat angry with Chu Yue, but in fact she knew that her foolish son was afraid of implicating innocent people, which was why she didn't touch her.
Chu Yue knelt on the ground and bowed her body: "This concubine is incompetent, Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
The Empress Dowager had her eyes closed, and the atmosphere in the hall was somewhat heavy.
"His Majesty has arrived..."
As the announcement sounded from outside, the emperor strode into the palace.
The situation inside the hall was clear at a glance.
It seems he was right; Consort Chu was indeed angered by his mother.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty..."
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes, glanced at him, and said nothing.
"All of you, leave." The emperor ordered the extra people to leave, and Consort Chu remained kneeling on the ground, with so many people watching.
Jinxiu led her entourage out, leaving only Chu Yue, the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor kneeling inside the hall.
"Mother, why are you angry again?" The Emperor still showed his patience.
The Empress Dowager was both angry and helpless, and she went through great lengths to personally seek out a fortune teller.
They chose a woman for him who could suppress the rumors.
But he didn't touch it at all.
"Your Majesty, are you dissatisfied with my actions?" The Empress Dowager had been in the palace for many years and still held considerable authority.
I always thought that the mother and son depended on each other for survival, which was already difficult enough, and I didn't want to hurt their relationship with my words.
But now, the emperor has wasted her efforts. She is already old and can't stay with him for much longer. Why can't the emperor understand her heart as a mother? How can she not be angry?
Chu Yue trembled in fright and lowered her body even further.
The emperor glanced at her subtly; Consort Chu's slender, frail back was trembling slightly, just as it had when she had thrown herself into his arms the night before.
"Mother, it's all my fault, I..."
"Chen'er, do you really want your mother to die with her eyes open in disgrace?"
The Empress Dowager was already sobbing uncontrollably after saying this.
The person was delivered right to their doorstep, and they didn't even flinch.
"Mother..." The emperor was most helpless, as she threatened him with death at the drop of a hat.
"Consort Chu is unwilling to serve the Emperor, so I have no choice but to punish her. From now on, she shall kneel outside for two hours every day. She may rise whenever she is willing."
The Empress Dowager knew that the Emperor was unwilling to touch Consort Chu, but she understood her son; although he was the Emperor, he still had a conscience.
She had to push him a little.
If we blame all of this on Consort Chu, the emperor will surely not stand for it.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me..." Chu Yue raised her head, her face pale, and begged for mercy.
The Empress Dowager remained unmoved, so Chu Yue looked at the Emperor again: "Your Majesty..."
Her voice was pitiful and frightened, and her boneless body trembled even more violently.
"Mother, why are you doing this? Consort Chu has done nothing wrong."
"So you've agreed to go to Yuyao Palace again tonight?" the Empress Dowager asked in return.
The emperor stood frozen in place.
"Consort Chu, go outside and kneel!" The Empress Dowager was angry.
Chu Yue rose tremblingly, tears streaming down her face in fear, and walked past the emperor with her head down.
The emperor grabbed her and gently pulled her behind him. He looked at the empress dowager and said, "Mother, I will go to the Jade Palace tonight."
"Chen'er, can you please understand your mother's feelings? Your mother is only doing this for your own good..."
The Empress Dowager couldn't bear to push her son to this point, but she also couldn't bear to see the Emperor die alone.
"I understand the Empress Dowager's good intentions," the Emperor said helplessly. This was probably retribution for his sins.
"Alright, go back and rest now, Consort Chu. Serve the Emperor well."
The Empress Dowager's expression softened slightly, and her attitude became less forceful.
"Yes, Empress Dowager..." The emperor clearly felt her body tremble, and his hand unconsciously tightened.
Hopefully, Consort Chu will be alright.